The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-01-28
BLOOMSBURY, PA, FRIDAY, JANUARY %, 1887.

erned sea, would have had their objec-
tions; but the child herself is so sweet, so
gay, so suggestive of all things good and
pure, that it would be impossible to re-
gard her in any light except kindly
one
With only the memory of a dear father
who had been a general in the Prussian
army, although an Englishman-and
mother, very dear, but very dependent,
TO sustain her, Nadine, up to her connec-
ton with Mrs. Brand, had been COM
PEELED to look at life through anything
but rose colored spectacles. And of late
chance Of still surer escape from her
dreary surroundings has suggested itself
to her. Into her life (how, she hardly
knew a young man has fallen, who,
while declaring his love for her, has at
the same time repelled her almost as
much as he attracts her. There had
been slight touch of romance in the
manner Of their meeting, but yet nothing
very worthy of comment. A dull Janu-
ary night, ignorant of stars-a crowded
crossing--a young man who had kindly
come to her rescue in the absence of the
necessary policeman, and who had piloted
her across, through the tangled mass Of
vehicles, and landed her safely on the
pavement at the other side. He had
laughed aside her thanks and when she
had insisted on them, had demanded
largesse in the shape of permission TO es-
cort her to her home 1.-THE night was
30 dark, so stormy, so destitute of COM
fort in any form, and she was so evil
IDENTIFY timid about the conuuerfng of
those terrible rubicons, the crossings, and
he was so entirely master of his time for
the next four hours"
1t hardly took him one, however, TO
guide her to her home. She had steadily
declined his offer Of cabs or hansoms,
but had felt 1t ungracious to refuse him
further when he said he would traverse
the distance with her on foot In truth,
she had been glad of his escort and not
altogether blind to the beauty of his face;
and yet, as | have said, there was re-
pulsion as well as a fascination even then
in her feelings toward him.
There was one other thing that puz-
zled her. Had she seen him beforep
Those marked features, those soft bril-
liant eyes-were they familiar 1t seemed
to her that somewhere in the rather i'm
mediate past she had seen him; but vet
when he so kindly came to her aid on
that crossing, just as she left Mrs
Brands house, she could not connect him
with any place or period, and after
while felt that her imagination had
played her false in the matter.
When he had taken her home that
night ho had stood lingeringly upon the
door STEP until at last, in an uncertain
way, half reluctant, half longing, half
desirous of his departure half eager to
show somc gratitude to one who had
been so courteously kind, she had asked
him to como in and let her make him
known to her mother. The invitation
was accepted with aiacrity. Mrs. Roche,
gentle, tender voiced woman, received
HIM with little soft dignity that aston
ished him; and two hours later, when he
lcft them, as they fondly but erroneously
believed, Oh his way to his bed, he
laughed aloud to himself on the deserted
pnvc;ncnts Of that anything but aristo-
cratic ncShborhood, as he called to mind
how he had indulged in tea and toast at
that hour, and enjoyed them too What
eyes that girl had! What mouth How
gentle, how sweet, how lovable! Yet
there was fire about her too, that sug-
Eested many things, and made the pulses
beat, and added ten thousand charms to
those she already possessed Welll He
had lost his dinner certainly, gazing at
those beanx yeux, but there was al
ways ones club, the gods be praised and
supper that would be undeniable
The acquaintance, thus opened had
been followed up with an ardor that per-
maps astonished no one SO much as the
young man himself. He soon-astonish-
ingly soon, as it appeared to Mrs. Roche
mastered the hours of Madness days.
Knew when she was off duty and when
on. Never put in an appearance on the
Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays on
which she gave her German lessons to
Milliccnt Grey, Mrs. Brands niece; but
invariably dropped in ON the afternoons
n Monday cloyr NJ E,;l
Sunday his visits were uncertain, but he
came even on that day more than he
stayed away.
Mrs. Roche was troubled little about
him at first, but grew accustomed to him
later on and admiring him intensely as
she did uegarding him, indeed, as a
breath from that old world in which she
once had moved, but which had proved
cold and forgetful when fortunes sun
went down upon her life), was openly
glad and gratified when one day her
daughter came to her and told her how
Mr.. Annerley had asked her to marry
him. and how she had given him "Yes"
for his answer.
The girl had not seemed either elated
or, indeed, moved in any way when tell
ing her story, but had sighed rather, and
been little petluant and impatient-a
most strange thing for her-during the
remainder of the evening.
Paul Annerley had followed up his
proposal by graceful word or two to the
girl's mother that had more than pre-
possessed her in his favor and the court
ship had run ever since very smoothly,
all things considered-the man being
passionately in love, the maiden cool, il
always gentle and sweet, and as adorable
in manner as in face.
From the first Mr. Annerley had been
extremely open about himself and his
prospects. lie would talk continually
Of "our Office, and was always positively
eager to enter into any question that re-
lated to his status in life, his Cuisines" ;"
as he called it, or his income.
at is neither big nor small now," he
would say, with his charming smile, that
showed all his beautiful teeth, and lit up
his handsome eyes. But it will i'm
prove, l have many irons in the fire,
and one sure thing, should all else fail
No. | never tempt Providence too far
despise the man who puts his all upon
the die. l would have reserve fund
somewhere, however small it might be-
Not that | should speak despairingly
either with another brilliant smile
"of the little | can really call my own.
1t is sufficient to give bread and butter
at least to not only one, but two-per-
haps, indeed, three, should the desires be
modest" "
Here the handsome eyes fall mean
ingly upon pretty Miss Roche bending
over her knitting, and then pass on to
Mrs, Roche with an even more meaning
expression in them, that the good lady
would catch and dwell on afterward
with a maternal delight.
Ali II her Nadine could but be placed
beyond the fear Of poverty-beyond the
hateful drudgery OF teaching If her
daily bread might be earned for her, in
stead of the dear feet being press every
day into the toilsome path of laborl
Yes; certainly Paul was very open, very
explanatory about his prospects; though,
perhaps, after all, the explanations did
not amount TO much. He had an Office
somewhere. An extraordinary press
OF business-sometimesl He was ut
terly destitute of relationships father
and mother having died when he was
quite little fellow" and he was an
only child, His sisters, his cousins and
his aunts had no resting place upon the
face Of the earth-he was, as he would
remark often IN his deep pathetic tones,
"alone In the world He had friends,
of course. Oh, yesl Every man had
friends somewhere; but he found friend
ship cold affair when all was told, and
in fact he was rather shy fellow about